Villeneuve “Deeply Disappointed” at Vanwall Dismissal

Jacques Villeneuve has responded to his exit from Floyd Vanwall Racing Team’s lineup for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and confirmed that he will not drive for the team in the remaining FIA World Endurance Championship rounds.

The ByKolles-run Vanwall squad last week stated that the 1997 Formula 1 champion would be replaced by Tristan Vautier in its Hypercar crew for Le Mans on June 10-11.

In a statement of his own, Villeneuve said that he was “deeply disappointed” at the decision which he first learned about when it was made public six days ago.

The Canadian drove the ByKolles-built Vanwall Vandervell 680 Gibson in the opening three rounds of the WEC season at Sebring, Portimao and Spa-Francorchamps.

He shared the wheel with Tom Dillmann and Esteban Guerrieri, who will be joined by 2021 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring winner Vautier for the longest race of the campaign.

“I am deeply disappointed to have learned of my replacement for the upcoming Le Mans 24 Hours through a public announcement released by the Vanwall Racing Team ByKolles on May 25th, 2023,” said Villeneuve’s statement.

“To date, I have not received any official communication from the team, which is even more surprising given that I am still under contract to participate in the Le Mans 24-hour race.

“The timing of the release strangely coincided with my impending arrival at the hospital for the birth of our baby daughter, which had been planned for May 26th.

“ByKolles was well aware of this personal family event, rendering me unable to respond or address this sudden announcement.

“As a racing family, we have always successfully balanced our personal lives with our professional careers, with racing always holding a prominent place.”

Villeneuve added that his preparation for Le Mans had been “meticulous and well-organized.”

The 52-year-old had been gearing up for his first appearance at the event since 2008 when he finished second overall in a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.

“Considerable time and effort were dedicated to achieving peak physical and mental readiness for this extraordinary challenge that I was really looking forward to,” his statement continued.

“Following victories in the Indy 500, IndyCar and the F1 championship, the Le Mans 24 Hours holds special significance for me.

“Consequently, I am deeply disheartened that the opportunity to participate has been unjustly and arbitrarily denied.”

Villeneuve was named on last week’s provisional entry list for the 6 Hours of Monza, which is the next WEC race after Le Mans, but he won’t drive for the Vanwall team.

“Under these circumstances, I have made the decision to abstain from participating in the remainder of the WEC season with ByKolles,” he confirmed.

“Instead, I will redirect my focus and energies towards preparing for a more successful and professionally fulfilling 2024 racing season.”